


Tateleh

by cateliot



Category: NCIS
Genre: AU, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-27
Updated: 2015-06-27
Packaged: 2018-04-06 11:47:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 7
Words: 7,667
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4220499
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cateliot/pseuds/cateliot
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When the team collars a girl that Gibbs can't break in interrogation, they gain the help of Mossad on their terrorist undercover operation. Another look at the chance meeting of a mysterious, young Mossad Operative and the cheeky, handsome Special Agent. AU.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Deception

**Author's Note:**

> This work of fiction is based on characters and settings created by CBS Productions and affiliates. All recognizable characters, settings, and plot elements are copyright © CBS and their assignees. All original characters, settings, and plot elements are copyright © Cate Eliot. This work of fiction is available for use under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported (CC-BY-NC-SA 3.0) license.

“She hasn’t moved a muscle since we brought her in.”

“Like at all?”

“Not a muscle.”

“Maybe she’s a robot, sent to planet Earth to destroy us all!” Abby Scuito declared from the other side of the Interrogation window. Her normal Goth clothing and make up were accentuated by the dim room lighting, making her seem even darker. Her pig tails bounced cheerfully up and down as she moved.  

Next to her sat Timothy McGee. His slight baby face reflected in the glass as the two watched their boss and the girl on the other side of the wall. He looked young to be in such a prominent position with a navy suit giving him a technological and sophisticated air.

“Boss make her cry yet, McSpy-A-Lot?”

Tony DiNozzo popped a handful of popcorn in his mouth before settling down next to the two, watching the scene with hazel eyes. He wore an expensive and freshly ironed suit. His hair stuck up slightly in the front. He was in his mid to late twenties and looked cool as a cucumber watching the other man in the room.

On the other side of the glass sat a young woman, small and petite with dark, wild curls.

Their boss sat across from her, staring her down darkly. She girl wore dark tee shirt that didn’t fit her thin frame and long jeans with heavy boots. A gold necklace, obviously old and expensive, with a delicately crafted Star of David hung from her neck.

Their boss, the legendary Leroy Jethro Gibbs, had his back to the audience. His silver hair reflecting small sections of light from the ominous hanging blub.

The doors to the other side of the interrogation room slammed opened and both DiNozzo and McGee flew up into a standing position. Two men entered with their Director not far behind.

“Get that fool out of there,” the man snapped with accented English. “It’s a miracle she hasn’t killed him yet.”

“Whoa, what’s going on? Boss has been in there with her for hours and she hasn’t said anything, let along tried to off him. Who the hell are you people?”

Tony blocked the exit with his hand on the door knob. The Director moved in front of the group. Leon Vance looked stressed and nervous in his black suit. His dark skinned forehead was dotted with beads of sweat.

“Agent DiNozzo, these gentlemen are from the Israeli Embassy. They’re here to collect Miss David.”

“David? No, we have a Miss Linae Revegi. Not a David,” McGee spoke up, moving to stand next to his partner. He took in the forms of the two older men with calculating eyes.

Both of them wore expensive suits with leather shoes. One wore wire framed glasses and the other sported a slightly graying beard. The younger of the two had a heavy gun strapped to his side and the other simply looked like a diplomat.

“Well obviously your department doesn’t know an alias when they see one. Ziva David has spent six month breaking a terrorist group in Somalia. You would have died of old age before she told you anything you wanted to know. Get your agent out of the interrogation room before he ends up dead or worse,” the younger man said roughly, pushing through the two agent to open the door.

Gibbs roared up from the desk as everyone came flooding into the room. In the commotion, no one noticed the young, petite girl move like a ghost from the crowded room into the hallway.

“What the hell? Director, who are these people?”

“Gibbs, everyone just calm down. Miss David? Where is Miss David?” Vance snapped, looking around the room, his eyes wide and nervous.

The girl migrated towards the man with the gun, taking in the room with large brown eyes.

“I was wondering when you were going to find me, Hadar,” she said, with a wry smile.

The man gave her a tight smile in return, one that didn’t quite reach his eyes, and he put an arm around her shoulders, pulling her body closer into his larger one.

The girl stiffed upon contact, but then relaxed into his warmth. Next to the muscular and tall man she looked smaller, younger, and much more vulnerable.

“What’s going on?”

“Gibbs, this is Ziva David. _Mossad_. There was a mistake. Miss David was just leaving,” Vance said smoothly, watching the girl lightly with probing eyes.

“Da-veed?” Gibbs said, turning to stare at the girl. “We caught her stalking our suspect, Orin Hassem, suspected seller of military code to launch an attack on DC. I don’t think there was a mistake. Just another capital cover up.”

He paused before, “they promote young at Mossad these days.”

“Officer David is very good at what she does, Agent Gibbs. I’m sure it was just a coincidence that she was tip toeing around your suspect. Right, Zivaleh,” Hadar said stiffly, clearly ending the conversation line, as he looked down at the girl.

“Ken.”

“So as you can see, Agent Gibbs, it’s just a big misunderstanding. Mossad and their Director thank you for your cooperation and making sure Miss David was kept safely on American soil. If you ever need anything from us, please do not hesitate to ask,” the diplomatic man said smoothly, gesturing for David and Hadar to exit the room.

“Actually, there is.”

The three Israelis turned to look at the Senior Agent.

“Our female agent is in the Atlantic on an alternate assignment. We need someone to go undercover with Special Agent DiNozzo to try and recover both Hassem and his software before he makes the drop. Miss David has a reputation that precedes her.”

The girl turned to look up at the diplomat with an expressionless face. The man hesitated, exchanging a look with Hadar.

“We will be willing to lend Miss David to your case for the undercover operation in exchange that her name is breeched from any of the official and unofficial records.”

Gibbs shot a glance at Vance, who swallowed quickly before nodding.

“Done.”


	2. Eloquence

“Our target is Orin Hassem, a major arms dealer and potential terrorist who has recently got a hold of military codes for a prime way to target the United States from a nuclear stand point,” McGee said in front of the monitor, flicking through photographs with the clicker in his hand.   
Miss David sat on the edge of Gibb’s desk while the two others stood next to her, watching the screen. The diplomat with the wire glasses intently watched the screen, while the younger man sporting the gun looked simply bored.   
“How do you know for sure that Mister Hassem has the stolen information,” Hadar asked, stiffly. His eyes moved to stare down Gibbs who stood silently nearby.   
“He made notice that there would be a drop and exchange made at his annual ball, which we were able to gleam invitations to,” McGee continued, eyeing Tony who sat behind his desk, watching the girl with interest.  
She seemed unconcerned with the information, her eyes flittering from the screen to the exits to the elevator and the other agents moving back and forth around the office.  
Away from the table and the harsh light of the interrogation room, she was much more beautiful. Her skin was olive and unblemished. Her brown eyes were large and captivating surrounded by thick, dark eyelashes. She wore no jewelry other than the Star of David necklace and a gold ring on her left middle finger. Her hair was rich and curly, coming to her shoulder blades. It hung around her face, free of confines.   
“Miss David?”   
The girl’s eyes flickered back to McGee’s face. “Agent McGee?” she questioned in perfect English.   
“Uh,” he blushed slightly and continued, “you and Tony—”  
“That’s me. Very Special Agent Anthony DiNozzo, at your service,” Tony called over to her with a charming smile.   
McGee glared at him and continued, “will make contact with the target, get him to make the drop with the man buying, we don’t know who he is, just a screen name “Malach”. You should gleam the files and try to locate the actual disk of information if possible.”  
“Miss David cannot operate on an undercover mission without her handler. He can be here from Tel Aviv in under fifteen hours,” Hadar said firmly.   
“Not happening,” Gibbs cut him off. “The less people that know about this the better. We can’t risk a leak hearing about this and giving it up to Hassem or his friends.”  
“Agent Gibbs, can we speak privately for a moment, please?” the other man said quietly. His eyes echoed the urgency his voice left out.   
Gibbs looked at Ziva for a moment before jerking his head and walking briskly towards the elevator. The man from the embassy followed and Hadar as well as squeezing Ziva’s shoulder softly.   
“So have you been to America before, Miss David?”  
The Mossad Officer turned towards the Goth who was sitting nearby in Kate’s desk, casually flicking through the missing officer’s paperwork.   
Abby frowned at the way both Tony and McGee stared after the Israeli.   
“It’s pronounced da-VEED,” she said, running her hands through her hair, moving it from her face. “But you can just call me Ziva. I worked with the CIA a four years ago here in DC.”  
“The CIA, that’s impressive. You must have been young, Zee-VAH,” Tony said, propping his feet up on the desk.  
Ziva raised an eyebrow with a wry smile.   
“If fifteen is considered young, then yes, I suppose so, Agent DiNozzo.”  
“Didn’t you go to school like a normal kid?” Abby interrupted crossly. “Or is that too good for Mossad babies?”  
“Abby,” McGee chastised, looking embarrassed, but Ziva just laughed.   
“She is fine, Agent McGee. I graduated from high school with honors early. Instead of doing my time with the army, I went straight into special operations in Mossad.”   
“What were you doing in Somalia, then?”  
Something ugly flashed deep in her brown eyes.   
“Sightseeing,” the girl responded coldly without further comment. “Do you always operate underneath terrorist networks? I thought that was left to the CIA?”  
“It involves Navy technology so we’re your guys,” Tim said, messing with the slideshow. In the background Abby huffed. He opened his mouth to continue, but the ding of the elevator made him fall silent.   
Gibbs and the two men entered and walked back towards the group. Gibbs struck DiNozzo on the back of the head and DiNozzo knocked files off the desk, in an effort to get his feet off the desk.   
“That’s an American form of affection,” DiNozzo said confidently in Ziva’s direction. “The slap on the back of the head.”  
“Of course,” Ziva said just a smoothly.   
“Mister Bashan will have the other Mossad Officer here before the gala starts. We’ll reconvene at the hotel to go over the final details of the operation.”  
The two Mossad officer nodded and Bashan gave Gibbs a strained smile. “See you in a bit,” Tony said, as Ziva was escorted towards the elevator.   
Before the ding ended, signally their departure, Abby leapt up from the chair. “Gibbs! Gibbs! You can’t let Tony go with her. She hiding something. I can tell. There something about her that’s hinky. You can’t let him go with her.”  
The Director appeared from the stairs.   
He looked stressed, but less nervous with Mossad out of the bullpen. “I assure you, Miss Scuito. Ziva David is one of the best agents Mossad has ever trained, despite her youth. She has done more for the war on terrorism than most countries. Agent DiNozzo is probably the safest with her of all people.”  
“Know her well, Leon?” Gibbs asked coldly.   
The Director turned to eye Gibbs before responding. “I am well acquainted with Miss David’s father, Eli David. The Deputy Director of Mossad. We’ve worked together several times in the past. I wasn’t aware Miss David had returned from the Somalian Desert, let alone was in America.”  
“But—but Gibbs!” she protested, stomping the ground, annoyed, as the Director headed towards the elevator and Ducky’s lab.  
“She’s Mossad, Abbs. They’re all hiding something,” Gibbs said calmly, watching the elevator.


	3. Past

Tony DiNozzo wiped his hands on his pants before knocking three times on the hotel door. He was embarrassed to say his nervous were crackling with energy, but she sent him into the depth of the most mysterious mystery he’d ever seen in a woman.

“It’s DiNozzo, Zee-vah,” he called cheerfully. The door clicked opened and cautiously opened to reveal a man about his age. He was tall and thin with the same olive toned skin Ziva had and dark curly hair.

“You must be Anthony DiNozzo,” he said with accent English. He closed the door sharply. He wore a pair of cargo pants with a gun strapped to each side of his belt and a gray tee shirt. “Ari Haswari. Mossad Control Officer.”

Tony opened his mouth, but was cut off by the door opening.

“Do not interrogate him, Ari.” Ziva appeared from behind the other door in the room. Tony’s face flushed slightly when he realized she was wearing a tight tank top and flannel shorts. “Hello again, Tony.”

“Ziva,” he greeted, inclining his head as she perched herself on the edge of the couch. “I just thought we could go through the specs and make sure you were comfortable and everything.”

He glanced once at the other Mossad officer before the man sat back down at the table where a laptop was sitting open, running some type of algorithm.

“Running some technology for the op?” he questioned lightly.

“Be careful, DiNozzo, men have been killed for even being in the same room as these codes. If I were you I wouldn’t look too long.”

“Don’t listen to him, Tony, he’s just trying to make you nervous. Ari likes to do that,” Ziva said, dropping to the couch cushion. Tony sat on the other cushion and turned towards her. “Of course, if that would make you feel better,” she said with a smirk.

He cleared his throat and handed her a file of the perp photographs.

“I know McGee went over the case, but I always like re-familiarize myself before going under cover you know. Gibbs said he would bring the technology over around 1750. The gala starts about an hour after that.”

She nodded, brushing a hand through her curls as she laid out the photos on the coffee table in front of them. “He’s the one we think is going to make the drop with the cash. He’s supposed to representing the mystery buyer.”

He looked up to see that her large brown eyes were locked on his face and not the photograph in front of them. He offered her a small smile.

“You do not need to look so nervous, Tony,” she said, amusement clear in her eyes. “I have been doing this since I was eleven years old. I won’t let them hurt you.”

She patted his cheek lightly.

A hot flush crept up his shirt and he coughed, laughing awkwardly. He turned to look at her handler who was wildly smirking from the table near the window.

It was clear this was a side of Ziva he saw often.

“Careful Agent DiNozzo, Zivaleh, she’s the sharp point of the spear. I’m not sure you will be able to handle her.”

He sputtered indignantly. “DiNozzo men can handle anything.” He was saved from making good on that when the hotel door opened. Before he could move, both Ari and Ziva had guns trained at those coming through the door.

“You must be the handler,” Gibbs said, holding his hands up in surrender. Behind him McGee and Hadar entered carrying several laptops and

“At ease, Officer Haswari. These are our friends from the Naval Criminal Investigative Service,” Hadar said, locking the door behind him. “Agent Jethro Gibbs and Timothy McGee.”

“You should have announced yourself, Hadar,” Ari grumbled, reseating himself. Ziva said nothing and set her gun back on the table as McGee greeted her. She moved to pick up the photographs on the floor that had gotten knocked off when she lunged for her gun.  

“Hey boss. Just going over the…” Tony trailed off as he caught sight of Ziva’s barred shoulders. With her hair pulled away from her back, he saw dozens of thick lashes and cuts, just in the beginning stages of scarring. Handfuls of cigarette burns marred her skin. He could even see knife slashes where someone had carved into her skin.

The rest of the words died in his throat.

Ari seemed to notice his stares. “Zivaleh, you should go get ready,” he said. She sat the photographs back on the table and turned back towards him and Tony with a skeptical look, but said a simply “Ken” and flounced towards the bathroom door.

“She was tortured,” Gibbs said bluntly turning towards Ari once the bathroom door clicked shut. A deep sadness crossed the handler’s eyes before he folded his arms over his chest.

“In Somalia.”

Ari looked angry as he stared down the Agent, daring him to question him on the matter further.

“That’s why you’re here. She wouldn’t need a handler for such a small operation. She’s suffering from the sickness and she hasn’t been back in the field since. You’re scared she’ll crack.”

Ari’s hand twitched for his gun, but Gibbs didn’t break eye contact with him. Hadar cleared his throat. “A team of six Mossad officers from the Kidon Unit went to take down the terrorist cell planted there. They were betrayed by a mole inside of the Mossad ranks. Ziva is the only one left.”

“That’s awful,” McGee said, his face was pitying, but his eyes were abuzz with just what all of this meant for the young woman he had been so enamored with just a few hours earlier.

Hadar nodded and continued setting up the equipment. Only Ari’s Mossad observation skills noticed the slight tremble in his moving fingers.

“After three months in captivity, the third extraction team managed to get her released and returned to Israel, but … the damage was already done.”

There was a moment of pure silence before … “You have witnessed war, Agent Gibbs, I can see it in your eyes,” Ari said, leaning on the table, casually.

“I was a Marine,” Gibbs said, not revealing anything else.

“You were a _soldier_ ,” he corrected, “which means you know what happens when the enemy doesn’t talk. You know what it’s like when their soul leaves their body because their mind cannot take the constant pain anymore. When the light leaves their eyes, baring their dead spirit. You will leave Zivaleh alone.”

“I didn’t—”

“But he might,” Ari hissed, turning back to face DiNozzo with a fierce mask on his face. DiNozzo blinked quickly and his mouth flew open to defend himself.  

“I would never hurt Ziva—”

“You think she is beautiful, a mystery. You are intrigued by the shadows inside of her and you are a player. It is engrained in the very definition in you. Your father wrote off your mother, always dumping her for younger and younger women and as much as you swore you would never be like him you find yourself as an exact replication, using women just like he did.”

“Hey now,” Tony said, anger making his face red as he took a step forward in Ari’s face. McGee’s attempt to calm both parties was drowned out by their sudden shouts.  

“You will leave my sister alone, DiNozzo. It’s not up for discussion. You would never know how to give her what she needs.”

Again, Ari’s hand twitched to his gun, until a smaller hand wrapped around his, moving it away from the glock. “Ari, Ari, stop.” Ziva had returned from the bathroom. Her eyes held worry as she pulled her brother’s hand away from the weapon.

Her lithe form cloaked in a black lace dress, covering her skin and draping to the floor in beautiful lace layers. Her hair was straightened and then curled into thick curls that framed her face. Her eyes were outlined with silver eyeliner and matching earrings hung from her earlobes. She hadn’t forgone her Star of David necklace. It caught the light sitting in the blanket of lace.

Ziva’s voice changed as she spoke to her brother in their foreign language. Her words became faster and more urgent, but more natural than her English. Only when she was done did she release his hand.

Tony stepped back from him and allowed McGee to wire him with a mic and ear piece. Gibbs watched the two siblings with interest. They obviously cared for each other, though he knew Mossad would highly discourage that. Which brought up one question, _why did Mossad allow someone with such a personal connection be in charge of most talented undercover agent?_     

Ziva allowed her brother to hide a mic in the lace of her long sleeves. Hadar had already set up surveillance in the hall beforehand. “Both of the mics will threaded through Gibbs and Officer Haswari,” McGee said, his fingers flying across the keyboard.

“Let’s do this,” Tony said turning to blind the beautiful Israeli beside him with his charming white smile.


	4. Twirl

The party was in full swing. The hall was decorated in shades of silver and navy. A full scale orchestra sat atop the stage and the dance floor was full of couples with their hands filled with champagne glasses and little snacks.  
“No sign of him, boss.”  
“He’s somewhere, DiNozzo,” Gibbs’s voice cracked in over the earpiece. “And try to at least blend in a little DiNozzo. Your mouth is gaping open.”  
Ziva chucked and took Tony by the arm. “Come on, Tony, let’s go get a drink.”  
She seemed to catch the attention of several of the men as they walked over to the tables lined up with glass of champagne. Tony picked one up and handed it to her.   
A group of older, Middle Eastern men eyed the pair. “Hassem’s not in that group over there. Why does the older man look familiar? Ari?”  
“Zivaleh, that’s the Deputy Director of the Iranian Embassy. He may recognize you from Mossad. Try to avoid eye contact. He’s in the red suit and black turban.”  
“Copy that,” she said, taking a small sip of alcohol, sensually. Tony felt himself swallow a large gulp of the drink, trying to act calm.   
“Miss? You look rather ravishing this fine eve…”  
Both Ziva and Tony turned to see a middle aged man smiling nervously in front of her. His eyes took up her form hungrily. “Back off, buddy. She’s my date,” DiNozzo said loudly.  
“Sorry, about him. He’s a little … how you say blue with jealousy,” she whispered, sliding a hand down his jacket sleeve.   
“She means green,” Tony snapped, pulling her away from the man and towards the dance floor.   
“Hands to yourself, Agent DiNozzo,” Ari voice hissed and DiNozzo smirked. He wrapped an arm around Ziva’s small waist possessively as the man sauntered away, eyeing her face for a reaction, but she gave none.   
“Dance with me, sweet cheeks?”   
“Do you always call your partners such nosey names, Agent DiNozzo?”  
“I think you mean cheeky, Little Miss Multi-Lingual and yes, I do. Don’t your Mossad partners call you cute names?”  
“No, not really. We try to be a little more professional at Mossad. Attachments become weakness far too quickly to allow such names to steal someone’s life in the line of duty. Weakness isn’t tolerated.”  
“What about your brother?”  
Ziva gave a small, but sad smile. “Yes, tateleh,” she said softly.   
“Tateleh,” Tony said, trying out the word as he spun her. Her body was warm against his. She was a fantastic dancer, he realized, as they moved to blend in farther with the couples dancing. Fluid and light, he could easily dance with her for the rest of the night.   
“I didn’t mean to upset you or anything,” Tony began quickly but the momentary emotional young woman was washed away in a blink of an eye and the emotionless warrior was back.   
“You did not upset me. Ari … Ari and I had been separated by my father for a long time. I hadn’t seen him in months before yesterday,” she said.   
“Why?”  
Ziva laughed, though her face echoed bitterness.   
“My father sent Ari to Edinburgh to study medicine and I rose up in Mossad’s ranks. I traveled all over the world with my unit. There’s Hassem,” she said, nodding to a well-dressed Middle Eastern man in the corner of the room near the orchestra. He was in a deep conversation with another well-dressed white man.   
“Eyes on the target, Boss,” Tony said quietly as Ziva rattled off in Hebrew to her handler.   
“Copy that DiNozzo. Don’t spook him.”  
“I don’t think we can follow him without his guards noticing. Looks like there’re five or six of them,” he said, quietly in her ear. She nodded, looking over his shoulder to see the five guards, packing guns on either side of their boss.  
“They’re from an Iranian militia,” Ziva said. “Ari, they have the upper level marks on their necks. I can see the ink from here. I think they’re going to make the drop.”  
“Do not engage, Ziva, there are far too many causalities at stake for an altercation.”  
The two drew closer into the shadows and as Toy twirled Ziva again, she noticed the exchange of a heavy brief case and a room key. “The drop’s been made. Hassem gave the buyer a room key. Probably for a hotel room with the codes already there.”  
“What do we do, Boss?”  
“Leave Hassem. You need to get the buyer to take you to where the files are. Hassem won’t give him the actual chip. There’s too much that could go wrong,” Gibbs spoke up. “Miss David, it’s time to show us that Mossad training that you’re so famous for.”  
Ziva smiled as the song ended and she gracefully nodded to Tony, moving away. The orchestra bowed and reseated themselves, beginning another ballad.   
“What about me, Boss?” Tony said, running a hand through his hair as he accepted a small plate from one of the waiters around him.  
“Stay close, but let her do what they trained her for.”  
Ziva had gracefully floated over towards the man, eyeing him slightly from the corners of her thick eyelashes.   
“He’s from the Ukraine, Zivaleh,” Ari spoke calmly. “Alek Vera. Age forty six. Served in the military for nine years. Avid traveler. Speaks five languages. He’s got a large horse ranch and is in charge of the militia in western Turkey. His sister died in a bombing thought to be caused by the American forces there.”  
She came to sit down at his table, perching lightly on the chair next to him. “Is that a medal from the national horse race in Turkey, 1987?” she asked interestedly, nodding to the pin on Vera’s jacket.   
One of the guards, put a hand on her shoulder and she looked up innocently at him. “Such serious faces. I’m sorry, I thought this was a party.”  
She made a move to get up, but Vera grabbed her wrist sharply.   
“Yes, a party. The day has been much too long without any fun,” he said, with a thick accent. “Do leave us alone, Yessiv. Have something to drink, relax. Our business is finished for tonight.”  
“I’ve apprehended Hassem, Boss. He’s got the money, but not chip or files. Vera must have it Ziva,” McGee’s voice shouted into the earpiece, sounding out of breath. If Ziva heard this, she made no move to acknowledge it.   
The guard nodded and stepped back away from the table, following orders.   
Vera leaned forward, looking Ziva up and down before smiling. He was tall and thick with a slight scruffle of a beard, like he hadn’t shaven in a few days, on his cheek. He wore an expensive foreign suit and had blonde hair. His hazel eyes locked on her face.   
“What a pretty little flower you are, young one.”   
“Thankfully, not too young,” Ziva said, her accent thickening slightly as she leaned back in the plastic chair.   
“Your accent is very unique. I have not heard it before. Where are you from, little one?”  
“Oh here and there,” Ziva said airily. “I like to think we are all from somewhere we used to be and somewhere we wish to be.”  
Vera laughed loudly, running a finger over his stubble like he was thinking hard. “My, my. Little flowers like you should not be so wise. What do you know about horses, flower?”  
Tony watched as Ziva continued to chat up Vera for several minutes. “So this is what Mossad taught her,” he snapped into the microphone. “Flirt with suspects?”  
Ari chuckled on the line. “Mossad taught Ziva to be able to infiltrate some of the most highly secure organizations and governments in the world, DiNozzo. Sometimes it is as easy as talking and batting her big brown eyes. Other times, not so much. I assure you, it is not as easy as she makes it looks. You must know what to say at all times. Just what buttons to press to make the bomb explode. You have to learn how to read people, to see what hold them together so you only have to pull one string to make the entire thing collapse.”  
“Sounds like interrogation methods to me,” Tony grumbled, sipping some more champagne. He nodded to a group of women who were staring at him from across the room. They giggled amongst themselves and he smirked in response.   
“Is there such a difference between the two?”  
The tone Ari had adopted made his blood run cold. Just what was Ziva capable of? Just what had she learned from Mossad?  
“They’re on the move, Boss.”  
“Wait thirty seconds then follow them. McGee’s handed Hassem off to the FBI in the parking lot. He’s not talking so David’s our last chance to find those codes.”


	5. Action

“They’re on the seventh floor DiNozzo.”

“On it, boss.”

Tony pressed the seven button nine times before the elevator doors began to close. “Come on, come on,” he muttered at the numbers rose up and down on the screen.

When the doors open he rushed out onto the floor. There was a trail of dead bodies, all of Hassem and Vera’s men, along the hallway. “Oh hell,” Tony muttered, drawing his gun. “Boss, we need serious back up up here. Looks like six dead.”

“Copy that, DiNozzo. Back up’s on the way. Mossad shoot to kill.”

He continued along the hallway, his gun brandished in front of him. He could hear voices at the end of the hallway. “Don’t move,” Ziva’s voice commanded.

He inched along the wall, carefully moving closer and closer to the slightly cracked door.

“Ah, our little flower is Israeli. I did not know Mossad cared about the actions against the United States. Tell me little one, why does Eli David care so much about me?”

“He doesn’t. We’re here as a little favor to our Navy friends in DC. Hands on your head or I shoot. And as you can see with your detail, I don’t miss.”

There was a pause and Tony assumed the man was following instructions. “You are awfully young to be undercover. I’m surprised and impressed. Alas, I don’t have the chip of codes you’re looking for.”

“I don’t want the codes. I want the files and you are going to give them to me.”

“No, little flower, I’m afraid I’m not.”

“I didn’t say you had an option.” There was a rustling in the room. “I am curious, why American, why Hassem?”

There was bitter chuckle. “I do not expect you to understand. Israel understands the loss of brothers and sisters in war. They understand the honor and duty that comes with fighting for their country and for their family. America slaughtered my family and now I will slaughter America’s family; their mothers and daughter, sons and father. They will understand the blood shed they have caused overseas.”

_That sounded like a confession to him._ Tony’s body pressed into the wall and he prepared himself to move. “Ziva?” he called out. “I’m coming in. Don’t shoot.”

“Ah, your escort for the night,” he heard Vera say as he threw the door open. He heard a single gunshot before he ducked out of the way back into the hall. When he straightened up, he saw Vera smash through the single window in the room, shortly followed by Ziva.

“ZIVA!”

There were three more gunshots that echoed into the quiet of the dark night. He rushed to the window to see her form on the roof of the building with her gun pointed down at Vera’s body.  

Her two black heels were abandoned in front of the broken glass.

Gibbs and security ran into the room, followed by Ari and Hadar. McGee followed in behind the rest of them, sweating profusely.

“What happened?”

“He jumped,” Tony said shortly, putting up his gun. “Are you okay, Zee-vah?” he called out to her. She looked up from the body and shouted up something.

“Did she just say ‘melony’?” one of the security guards asked, turning to look at DiNozzo.

“Miss American Pie meant peachy,” he said shortly. “What about the files, boss?”

“See to be all accounted for, DiNozzo,” Ari said, rummaging through the duffle bag that sat on the bed. The room was old, but clean. A nicely made bed and nightstand stood in the corner of the room. Other than the broken glass covering the carpet, it looked like any other hotel room.

“How did she know he would bring her to the room with the files?” McGee asked as Hadar extended a hand to help Ziva back through the window.

The muscular man had no problem pulling the petite girl up through the window and setting her back on the ground of the room.

Gibbs shrugged, zipping up the bag and taking it from Ari. “Who knows,” he said shortly. “Make it a habit to go through broken windows, David?” Gibbs grumbled, handing a tissue to Ziva.

She smiled and allowed her brother to set her down in one of the chairs near the lampstand and tend to the cut on her cheek from the broken glass.

“You said you wanted the files returned to your country, Agent Gibbs, there they are.”

“How did you know Vera didn’t have them on his body?” McGee said, peering down at the bloodied body. His empty face looked up blankly at the sky.  

Ziva smirked and unloaded her gun smoothly. “Come now, Tim, where could he fit all those files in his pockets?” McGee flushed red and he went about the room, speaking quietly on the walkie talkie to the FBI agents downstairs with Hassem.

“Did you apprehend Hassem?”

“Yep, we caught him as he was making his exit,” Tony said, watching Ari apply a butterfly Band-Aid gently to his sister’s cheek.

“Unfortunately he’s not talking,” McGee added.

“I could make him talk,” Ziva said calmly, accepting Hadar’s leather jacket with a small smile. “Todah,” she said to him, slipping her small arms into after brushing off some glass from her shoulders.

Tony frowned, mentally kicking himself for not offering her his tux jacket.      

“Your methods wouldn’t fly in this country, I’m afraid, Miss David.”

“I could be gentle.”

Both Hadar and Ari laughed loudly.

“Hush, the both of you,” she snapped, playfully glaring at them, “I could if I wanted to.”

“Come now, tateleh, no you couldn’t.”

Ziva smirked and looked once out the window. “Shouldn’t you have someone dispose of the body?”

“They’ll process him and then ship the body back to his remaining family in Turkey,” McGee said, as Gibbs exited with the bag of folders.

“In Israel, potential terrorist do not get the honor of returning to their families for burial,” Ziva said, her face turning hard as she turned away and walked from the room.

“I will drive us back to Navy Yard to debrief Director Vance, yes,” Ziva said, holding her hands out to her brother for the keys.

“Not happening, Zivaleh. I would like to _live_ to see the Navy Yard.”


	6. Return

“Nice suit, DiNozzo,” Kate Todd said as the party walked back into the bull pen. “Finally get a date with that social worker you’ve been crushing on?”  
“Ha ha,” he said, dropping into his chair. “Laugh it up, Kate, but will you were stuck on a crammed, stinky boat, we were undercover.”  
“Sure you were.”  
“Actually he was,” McGee said as he sat down the rest of the group filed in from the elevator.   
“Hi Gibbs,” Kate greeted him with a smile.   
“Kate,” he nodded to her as Hadar and Ari followed him into the bullpen. “I see you’re back from the Pacific.”  
She wore a long coat over a skirt and blouse. Her short hair was slick and straight, hitting her shoulder mid-ways towards her back. Her bangs hung in front of her eyes. She blew them as she sat back down at her desk.   
“Yep, just landed. So you were undercover,” she said sizing up Ziva as she walked in, still looking stunning in the black laced dress.   
She nodded her thanks as she accepted the chair, Tony rolled towards her. She slipped out of her black high heels easily and crossed one leg over the other.   
“Uh, yeah. Kate, these are our friends from Tel Aviv. Everyone this is Kate Todd, the other member of our team.”  
“Israel?” she said, frowning.   
“Mossad,” Ziva said lightly as an explanation. “Ziva David.”  
“Nice to meet you,” Kate said, shaking her hand as Ari proceeded to detach the different wires under Ziva’s lace and inside her ear.   
“Hi,” Kate said, her eyes widening at Ari’s form. The man paused for a moment before looking over at her. He smirked slightly, but nodded in her direction.  
“Shalom,” he said slyly. His nimble fingers continued to help his sister out of the undercover gear. Hadar called out something in Hebrew that made Ziva laugh and Ari redden slightly.   
Kate glanced uncertainly at Tony, only to find his eyes on Ziva.  
“The Director wants a debriefing before you catch your flight back to Tel Aviv,” Gibbs said reappearing. Ziva nodded and took Ari’s hand to help her to her feet.   
Tony got up as well. “Not you DiNozzo. Just David,” Gibbs barked, already halfway up the stairs before Ari and Ziva followed him. Hadar came shortly behind.   
“So Mossad, huh?” Kate said lightly. “I’m surprised they helped you. They’re normally pretty much all smoke and mirrors.”  
McGee shrugged slightly. “They were actually really helpful. I’m sure Tony’s sad Ziva is leaving.”  
“Shut up, McJealous. You ogled just as much as I did.” He typed half-heartedly at his keyboard.   
“Oh, does Tony have a crush on the princess of Mossad?”   
“What do you mean?” Tony snapped, not looking up at her.   
“You do know her father is like the Deputy Director of Mossad right? I worked with them once during my time with the Secret Service. She’s just about the greatest interrogator they’ve ever seen.” She chuckled at his expression. “You would never be able to handle a Mossad girl like that, Tony.”  
*NCIS*  
“I’ve already been brief about the detail of the mission,” Vance said, seating himself at the table where the three Mossad officer sat. Gibbs leaned against the cabinet, watching silently. “I just wanted to tahkn you personally for getting back the copies of the codes from buyer. Despite almost getting one of my agents shot and throwing a man out a window, it seems like the mission was a success.”   
“Ken, about that,” Ziva began, folding her hands in her lap, putting on an innocent face.   
“What did you do, Ziva?” Hadar said, leaning forward.   
“Nothing,” the girl said lightly, leaning back in the chair.   
“Zivaleh,” Ari prompted. The girl sighed dramatically and slipped a small chip out of her sleeve. She sat it on the   
“You said Vera didn’t have the chip on him,” Gibbs grumbled slightly. Ziva turned in her chair to observe him. He could see the light in her eyes sparkle.   
“He didn’t,” she said simply. “I pulled it off of Hassem at the gala.”  
“You didn’t speak with Hassem at the gala.”  
Ziva smiled wider.   
“Didn’t I?”  
Gibbs frowned and crossed his arms. Leon cleared his throat and slid the chip off the table. He slipped it into his pocket without taking his eyes off her.   
“Well, NCIS thanks you Miss David for returning this in safe hands. You’ve saved a lot of lives in retrieving this.”  
She nodded and stood with her brother. “Officer Haswari. Look after her now.”  
“I try,” he said, shaking the Director’s hand. “But she seems to always attract trouble where ever she goes. Come along, Zivaleh.”  
They exited the room and Hadar stood with his hands folded behind his back. “I trust all record of Ziva David and Mossad’s presence will be removed from the official record, Director Vance.”  
“That was our agreement, Officer Hadar. I will be sure to fax over the official records to Mossad when they’re typed up.”  
“There’s no need. I’m sure you will take care of it. Thank you for keeping an eye on Miss David while she was in her country. She has trouble keeping herself out of danger.”  
“Mossad officers usually do. Travel safely.”  
“We will. Oh and Ziva pointed out to me earlier that there is a listening bug, there, on your bookshelf. Shalom.”  
Vance swung around to look at the shelf, where there was indeed a small listening device hidden next to a picture frame. Gibbs just chuckled.   
Downstairs, Ziva and her brother stopped in the bullpen. “Are you guys leaving from Israel?” McGee asked.   
Ziva glanced up at her brother questioningly. “I do believe that my sister and I are heading to our home in Paris, Agent McGee.”  
“Paris. That sounds romantic,” Kate spoke up from her desk. Ari smiled slyly at her.   
“Oh I assure you, it is Agent Todd,” he said smoothly and Ziva smirked slightly. She turned to look at Tony, who stood up from his chair.   
“Are you sure you can’t stay any longer?” he asked, longingly.   
Ziva smiled. “I’m afraid my French is must better than my English.”  
“Ah, well. It was a pleasure working with you. However short the mission was.”  
“Perhaps the next time I am here we can work on another case together,” she said, moving her dark curls from her face. Tony drew closer to her.   
“I hope then that our next meeting is sooner rather than later, sweet cheeks.”  
She chuckled. He extended his card and she took it with a questioning look. “That’s my card. I, uh, wrote my personal number on the back. Perhaps I can help you with your American idioms sometime.”  
“I would like that.”  
“Director Vance gave us visa for the flight,” Hadar said rejoining them with Gibbs behind him.   
“Of course he did,” Ari muttered under his breath.   
“It was fun,” Hadar said nodding to Gibbs and the rest of the team before moving towards the elevator.   
“The next time you have algorithm problems, just look me up,” McGee said, offering a hand to Ari.   
“I will do that, Agent McGee, todah. Shalom, DiNozzo, Agent Gibbs.” He nodded to them as he grabbed his gear and walked towards Hadar.   
“Thanks again for not shooting me, Ziva.” McGee gave her an awkward smile, but she just laughed.   
“Of course, Tim.”  
Kate chuckled at his blush as she patted his cheek.   
“Shalom, Gibbs,” Ziva said with a small smile. She turned towards him. She was surprised when Gibbs pulled her close to him. His mouth hovered above her ear as he whispered.  
“They didn’t win, ya know.”  
She stayed like that for a moment, soaking in his warmth greedily before stepping back. She looked much older in that moment. Her eyes marked his for a moment before she spoke.  
“How did you know?”  
Gibbs smiled slightly, but shrugged. “It’s all in the eyes. Take care of yourself, Ziver.”  
“Time to go tateleh,” Ari called over to her as he and Hadar stood at the elevator doors.   
“Goodbye, Tony,” she said lightly, kissing him on the cheek as she flounced towards her brother.  
“See you around, Zee-vah.”


	7. Epilouge

Leon Vance leaned back in his chair as his extension was patched through to the office of Eli David, thousands of miles away across the ocean.

“Shalom,” the line crackled.

“Shalom Eli. It’s Leon Vance. How are you?” Vance said warmly. He turned in his desk to look at the reflection of the Navy Yard. The darkness of the night left shadows moving like demons in the parking lot.

“Leon,” David said, his accent clouding over the long distance. “I’m well. How are you and Jackie? Expecting any more little ones soon?”

Vance chuckled. “We’re good. Not expecting any more kids, however, I think two is just enough. My daughter’s just about to turn fifteen. All obsessed with the boy down the street. You know how it is.”  

“I do indeed,” Eli chuckled. “Well what can I do for you, old friend?”

“Well I just wanted to tell you what a pleasure it was to work with your daughter. It’s been so long since I’ve seen her. She’s even more beautiful than I remember. You’ve trained her well. She’s truly a fine officer.”

There was a hesitation on the line.

“My daughter?”

Vance frowned. “Yes, Ziva, the undercover operation was completed last night, very successfully I might add. The Navy and NCIS is thankful for all Mossad’s help in recovering the lost assault codes.”

“Leon … Ziva was proclaimed dead in March. They never found her body in the Somalian desert.”


End file.
